Facebook hopes to fully open all US offices by the fall, with an option for employees to continue working from home.
The social network, which said it will expand remote-work eligibility, plans to reconvene at half capacity in September, before inviting all staff back in October, The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal reported.
Those who haven't received approval to stay remote will be expected to come to their local branch at least 50% of the time. "Facebook's office will be more flexible for those expected to return," the company said in a statement published by Reuters. "Guidance is to be in the office at least half the time."
If there's a silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's that firms have discovered the perks of at-home employment, and are already building it into their operations. Google and Apple recently announced hybrid schedules, asking employees to visit the office three days a week, and work remotely the other two. Apple staff have since expressed their disappointment over the planned return to campus, saying the current policy does not sufficiently address their needs.
There's no word yet on how Facebook employees feel about the updated timetable—which, unlike other companies, does not mandate specific in-office days, instead letting teams determine their own agendas, according to the WSJ. CEO Mark Zuckerberg seems excited, though. "I've found that working remotely has given me more space for long-term thinking and helped me spend more time with my family, which has made me happier and more productive at work," he wrote in a memo to employees.
Staff members must receive permission from their manager (and ultimately a company vice president) to work remotely, Brynn Harrington, Facebook's vice president of people growth, told the Journal. Individual circumstances, needs, and job requirements may exclude some from out-of-office work. So far, the social media giant has approved about 90% of remote-work requests, Harrington said.